Ricky Evans is a lot of fun on and off the oche but he is deadly serious about lifting trophies and taking his career to the next level.
The 35-year-old has been scrapping away on the PDC circuit since 2013 and is still looking for his first tournament win.
He’s come close, reaching six finals, but the search goes on and will continue at the World Championship when he gets his campaign underway on Friday.
After a recent run to the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam he is feeling good about his game and is pleased darts fans will remember him after a spell away from big TV tournaments.
‘It boosted me back up to 40th in the world and showed I can win on TV,’ Evans told Metro of his Grand Slam run. ‘You never see me all year, I’m only at Minehead and Ally Pally, so it showed darts fans that I’m still here. I’m still on tour.’
This year has been a bit if a struggle for Rapid before that decent run to the last eight, but it has not dampened his competitive urge to win big.
‘I’m a winner. I love winning,’ he said. ‘I still haven’t won that title in the PDC yet, but I’d do anything to do it.
‘I’m good enough. I know I’m good enough. It’s just any one game where I just don’t hit them doubles and it always costs me. But I I wouldn’t turn up at these events if I didn’t believe I could win.’
Evans is in a position that a lot of players will recognise, with great confidence in how good he is, but struggling to believe in himself as the victories have been very difficult to come by.
‘It’s a great time to be in this game with the money and the exposure we’re getting and I want to be on TV every week and I want to be competing with the big boys because in my head we can do this,’ he said.
‘I’ve got a game in me that can compete with your Littlers and your Humphries. You just never see it consistently and that’s the problem for me. I need to just be consistent.
‘I’m 40th in the world. I don’t think there’s 39 better than me. I’ve just got to believe in myself a bit more.’
Rapid will be bringing the entertainment at Alexandra Palace, famed for his brilliant Christmas-themed walk-ons, but he does think his antics make people believe he treats it all as a laugh.
‘Obviously they see the walk-ons, they see the shirts, the music, but I’m just as hardworking and I take it as seriously as the next guy,’ he said.
‘Maybe I do pull the odd silly face and let my emotions run a bit too much when I’m struggling. I try and let the world know that I’m struggling, but I want to win so much.
‘I’ve grown up winning. Youth titles and locally, I’m the GOAT around here, in Northamptonshire. Super League, the counties, I’m the boy, but I’ve never really done it at the top level yet. But “yet” is the word. I still think I will.’
There has never been more opportunity to win titles, with 34 Players Championship events on the calendar, along with the big TV events, Euro Tours and other competitions.
Evans has seen plenty of players pick up trophies and has been left thinking, why not me?
‘You do see people have little runs and tournament wins and you think if they can do it then it’s possible because I’m just as good as they are, if not better,’ he said.
‘But they’ve obviously got over that final hurdle and I’ve always been the bridesmaid. Six finals! So they’ve obviously done something I haven’t done, respect to them. But it does give me a little kick up the back side, thinking if they can do it, why can’t you, you muppet?’
On why he can’t achieve the consistency he craves, Evans suggested: ‘I always overthink on what could happen, what could go wrong. Instead of thinking what could go right. I should not worry about the negatives.
‘But I’m playing alright, mate, I’m playing good. The only problem is, everyone else is!
‘But I’ve still got more to give and hopefully the Christmas spirit and the Ally Pally gets that game out of me.’